As outlined in the injury post earlier in the week, Tom Kostopoulos was due for some supplementary discipline. On Saturday morning, Kostopoulos waived his right to an in-person hearing and was subjected to a phone hearing on Sunday morning, where the the cases where made on the hit on Brad Stuart on Friday night. On Sunday afternoon, the decision came down from the league office and Kostopoulos was given a 6-game suspension on the hit, using the severity of the blow as a reason, moreso than the lateral/blindside hit rule that was written in at the beginning of this season.
Stuart is expected to miss 6-to-8 weeks with his broken jaw, which also had an effect on the ruling today.
Kostopoulos had been previously suspended by the NHL on two occasions before this, once in 2007 and again in 2008.
Between both Carolina and Calgary this season, Kostopoulos has played in 42 games, scoring 4 goals and 4 assists. He isn't in any of the pools this season, so there is no direct effect from him not playing, although he did knock out a defenseman that is in both pools for a long period of time.
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